New Life for The Dead: Halloween Show Booked at MSG for Dead & Company

Following the highly successful “Fare Thee Well” shows this past month, three of the Grateful Dead’s “core four” have decided to continue the long, strange trip; this time, with John Mayer to play guitar. Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir have booked a date at the world’s most famous arena Oct. 31. Joining the band for the show will be longtime Allman Brother and Aquarium Rescue Unit bassist Oteil Burbridge and Ratdog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti. Chimenti also appeared at all five “Fare Thee Well” shows.

Tickets for the show will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14, with prices ranging from $75-$99. American Express card holders will be able to purchase tickets beginning Aug. 10.

The stage lights were barely cool in Chicago when speculation began about the remaining members of the Grateful Dead continuing shows for their East Coast fans. The newly coalesced version of the band isn’t writing this off as a one-off show either. Weir told Billboard, “Those songs weren’t done with us. It was a matter of who wanted to get back out on the road and keep doing it.” Weir also referenced the enthusiasm Mayer brings to the project as being “the cherry on the sundae.”

Mayer is a latecomer to Dead fandom, having confessed to encountering “Althea” on Pandora and being struck by the guitar riff. He has immersed himself in the Dead catalog since and has obviously convinced the remaining members that he can toe the line. Mayer’s recently been working many Dead songs into his repertoire and has struck up a friendship with Weir. His versatility should lead to some interesting interplay amongst the band.